Radar Doppler Detecting Good Codes for Improved Signal Accuracy

Background:

The world does not stand still for us to measure it.  It’s a dynamic place and radar needs to measure objects in motion.  Good radar codes maintain strong mainlobe signals and small sidelobes in the presence of Doppler shifts caused by objects moving towards or away from the radar source.  This allows accurate identification of the main target without artifacts produced by the sidelobes.  Unfortunately “Doppler tolerant” codes are poor at detecting Doppler shifts.  This, in turn, makes them poor at estimating velocity.

Technology Overview:

The new method turns any code which is Doppler tolerant into one which is also Doppler detecting and vice versa.  This produces accurate target identification, analysis of target behavior and makes it harder to find the radar source.  Useful applications include tracking drones, hypersonic missiles, mortar rounds and, of course, aircraft.  In other words, tracking anything that moves.

Advantages:

• Increased targeting accuracy
• Fewer false artifacts
• Harder to detect the signal source

Applications:

• Tracking aircraft
• Drones
• Hypersonic missiles
• Mortar rounds

Intellectual Property Summary:

US patent 11,698,436 issued July 11, 2023

Stage of Development:

Prototypes available/In-lab simulations

Licensing Status:

Available for license.

Licensing Potential:

Exclusive/non-exclusive 

Additional Information:

Byrley, A. and Fam, A., “Warped Frequency Domain Good Codes with Doppler Detection Capability”, MILCOM 2018 - 2018 IEEE Military Communications Conference (MILCOM).